May 11, 2011

My Eye's Begin to Open

I know how hard it was to be sick my whole life, but I could not see the pain my family was going through. I was never on the other side. As I got older, I began to get some insight. I have this wonderful friend. She lived her whole life with a sick mother and a severely profoundly handicapped brother. This friend carried the weight of the world on her shoulders and yet was able to offer so much compassion toward me. Over the years, her wisdom and trials helped to open up my own eyes. It was hard for me to understand how my kids felt. It was even harder to know what my husband was going through. They all seemed to keep it locked up inside. I figured they were "used to" me being sick and they were somehow immuned to it. I misinterpreted it as if they just didn't care. At some point, I began to realize that each person deals differently with pain and suffering. Some tacle it head on, while others run in the opposite direction. It's a defense mechanism. It's just the way we are wired. For so many years I only saw my perspective. And that perspective brought me incredible heartache. But it was because my focus was on how their responses affected me. I justified my anger because I felt I didn't ask for this, or I didnt bring it on myself. I somehow expected my family to understand. I used to think...." boy, so in so's mother is a raging alcoholic, treats her family like crap, but yet her kids are so good to her". That would enrage me. I felt that I pushed and pushed and tried so hard to be a good mother and wife. I would force myself up from bed so that a dinner would be on the table when they all got home. I did the best I could to keep the house clean. Everything I did was so strenuous and exhausting. I felt so taken for granted and ignored. I believed everything I did was for NOTHING! But once again, I was not in their shoes. All they knew was what they lived with their entire lives. I am sure they were scared, frightened, and tired of me being sick and so easily angered. I am sure it was easier to run away then to deal with me at times. They had NO idea what I was going through. How could they? It's strange, that despite all the misunderstandings, tensions, and blow-ups, we managed to maintain an incredibly close family. It's no where near perfect, but we all love each other so much. I like to humorously call us a "functional dysfunctional" family! Every family has their problems, but in the end LOVE always conquers all and covers over a multitude of wrongs.

4 comments:

  1. Love is so powerful. It is the glue that fixes what has been broken. It is the ointment that soothes the ache. It is a miracle drug that heals. It never fails. Love is action, when it is applied from a pure heart it always works.

    I am always encouraged by the story of the two trees. One was planted in the perfect environment and the other was planted in a hard and harsh environment. Eventually the storms came. The one in the perfect environment could not with stand the storm and was uprooted and fell over. The one in the hard/harsh environment weathered the storm and when it was over was still standing strong.
    What made the difference was that the tree in the harsh environment had to work hard at seeking water for its roots and therefore, the roots grew deep into the soil and became very thick and deeply buried in search of water. The tree that fell over had no need for deep roots since water was easily available,therefore, when the storm came it did not have deep roots to hold it in the ground.

    Be encouraged in the rough times, it's not for nothing. God never wastes our pain. He knows what he's doing. Trust him.

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  2. Beautiful commentary by my special friend!

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  3. A wonderful story filled with Wisdom coming from a Beautiful woman with MUCH GODly Wisdom!! :)

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  4. Awesome story special friend!

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